This simple ginger-garlic paste keeps very well in the fridge or freezer. Isn't it great to have this ready when you need curry in a hurry? Basically it is just equal amounts of ginger and garlic pulsed together. You may use water in place of oil, but it will not keep as long.

Remember when dadima used to move her wooden madhani in cream, churning it into butter singing her Durga stuti? For times when that's not possible, here's a quicker version. Just put heavy cream in a food processor and run it till it turns into butter. It's a good experiment for the kids to watch, too!